A fellow local photographer was telling me a story the other day about a client who approached him about photographing her wedding. She made it very clear that she couldn't afford his standard packages. He was very professional with her and asked her what she could afford, and tried to build a custom package for her, trimming some things from the package.

She told him it was still far too expensive, and could she just borrow one of his cameras for free and she could have one of her friends use the camera to take the photos.

Wow. Others may have heard much worse, lol, but that was a new one for me

He should have reffered her to a rental company. I wonder what she would have said about their rates and their results. "You said this was the best camera, why do these pictures look so bad."

Something like this you really can't blame people for. The camera companies have spent millions telling people a better camera takes better pictures. Its why everyone has a DSLR when a P&S would serve them fine. "This is what professionals use" will sell just about anything. From cameras to cleansers to medicine to marital aids. But having the same tools as a professional doesn't make you just add good as one.

MBMKRegistered: Oct 27, 2010Total Posts: 1897Country: United States

I had a client ask me to shoot her wedding simultaneously with another wedding because they were having it next door to each other. She had some issues! After telling her no a bunch of times, she wanted me to find her a wedding photographer. !

Actually that might be quite a marketing idea: rent the camera with a deposit to cover damages. Reserve rights to all images. The include the taken images as a promotion: "it's not the camera"

Same camera, night and day difference in image quality - the difference, the man behind the shutter release.

It's amazing how many people really think it's just the camera.

KittykRegistered: Apr 29, 2009Total Posts: 4409Country: Germany

i had this one bridezilla once, she booked a shoot and ceremony 3h. I accepted it (against better judgement), it was winter, Friday, so why not. We were supposed to meet at 10:00. At 10:30 she called that she is still by hair dresser and that she will come at 12:30, we do quick photoshoot and then go to ceremony. Whatever, went to caffee and chilled out. At 12:45 i headed to ceremony room, she was not on phone. She didnt turned up, called to officiant that she want to schedule ceremony for another day. At 13:00 on my way home i got a phone if i can come at 15:00 and do the photoshoot.
I thought, whatever, days is a dog already anyway, and tried to save what was already all wrong. Drove there again at 15:00, at 15:45 when i started to pack again, i got nervous call that she still waits for me. She was on other entrance of the large park (20mins to walk) then where we were supposed to meet. I said ok, whatever, will be there soon. after 15 minutes she called me that she is freezing where tf i am and if i know some better photographer to come asap. I dropped the phone and found her few minutes later.
Did 10mins of photoshoot and she wanted to go home already. You can imagine how the photos turned out.

Good lord i take 100% in advance.
In the email she wrote me that she wants some prints for free for the troubles, when i denied she wrote angrily that she will definitely not recommend me.